Never doubt that a small group of people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has- M.M.

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Tales from a Mean Teacher

One of my students managed to get his arm stuck in a stairwell railing the other day.

How that happened boggles the mind, so I don't think about how it happened.

I just know that it did.

Normally, I would have pitied the poor kid. But I couldn't with this one. This is my lets-see-how-far-we-can-test-Ms.-Attitude's-patience and lets-see-how-loud-she-can-yell-when-I-do-things-I'm-not-supposed-to-do-kid.

I didn't laugh in his face. Although others did. But I couldn't help but put on a smirk when I realized which kid of mine was stuck there.

He wouldn't let me help me out, refused to let me touch him, and demanded that the fire department be called.

Can you say drama queen?

It wasn't as serious as he made it seem. I'm sure he would've got out sooner if he just allowed us to talk him through it instead of blubbering like a big baby.

I'm not mean, I just have zero tolerance for students who refuse to follow rules and get themselves in situations like this.

And you know why I think it happened? Because he was running up the stairs, rushing to get to gym class. Gym class that really wasnt going to leave without him.

And yet, even after that painful ten minutes of standing there, stuck to a stairwell railing, crying uncontrollably, he still continues to run up (and down) the stairs.

Those are the kids that cause me to throw a leg out and trip them. Then I look around like, "clutz"! If you use this technique you MUST post photos! I am glad I am not the only one who doesn't like evil children:-)

It are these students that we have to work so hard to find things to enjoy about them. I have a couple in my class this year. I always hope that getting what they deserve will turn a light bulb on over their head, but it never works out that way. It doesn't seem that these kids are compassionate for others at all, they don't take responsibility for their actions, or believe in the golden rule. I can say that I see how people say what comes around goes around, but these kids are so egocentric they doesn't get the message.

Even though it's hard, try to make a connection with this kid. The ones that are hardest to love are those most often the ones that need it the most!